Australia's cricket captain, Pat Cummins, is high on confidence, particularly about star batter Marnus Labuschagne's form as the team heads into the three-match ODI series against arch-rivals India. Cummins believes Labuschagne is on track to solidify his place in the top 15 for the forthcoming ODI World Cup, given his recent performances.
"Marnus (Labuschagne) is always ringing in my head, 24 hours," Cummins said during the pre-match press conference on Thursday.
"He was fantastic. He was our best batter in South Africa. Not only batting-wise, his intent was excellent there in South Africa. I am sure he will get his chance in three games and push for his spot," he added.
Apart from expressing enthusiasm about Labuschagne's capabilities, Cummins himself is gearing up to participate in all three One-Day Internationals against India. Having fully recuperated from a nagging left wrist injury, the captain is raring to lead from the front. However, there's a slight hitch in the team's pacer lineup – Mitchell Starc is set to sit out of the series opener on Friday.
Shifting the conversation to the team's bowling strategy, Cummins gave a hint that Adam Zampa, despite facing challenges in South Africa, might play a crucial role in the death overs against India. The Aussie leg-spinner, known for his crafty deliveries, will be expected to put up a strong show.
"Particularly, if you pick four frontline bowlers, they have to be ready to bowl in all phases. Zamps (Adam Zampa) is not only good in keeping the run rate down but can also pick a couple of wickets in death overs, which could be hard on pace bowlers. So I won't be surprised if we keep his 2, 3 or 4 overs up our sleeves," Cummins said.
While victory in the series against India is undoubtedly on Australia's agenda, there's another concern shadowing their game plan. With the ODI World Cup looming, the team management is cautious about the sultry playing conditions, ensuring that players remain fit and aren't exhausted. The dual challenge of maintaining momentum while preserving energy makes the upcoming series an intriguing watch.
We want to get those combinations but don't want to already get cooked by the time we play that first game. We will try different combinations and few different players will get chance," Cummins said.
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